Sahel Opera Film premieres at documenta 14

‘Bintou Were, a Sahel Opera’ is now on film and will premiere at documenta 14 in April 2017. The film ‘An Opera of the World’ is based on the African opera ʻBintou Were’, which narrates an eternal migration drama. The original opera had been a dream of HRH Prince Claus, which was realised by the Prince Claus Fund in 2007.The film is directed by Manthia Diawara is produced by Maumaus / Lumiar Cité with support from the Prince Claus Fund, 3sat and documenta 14.

The ‘Bintou Were’ opera, filmed on location in Bamako, in 2007, serves as a mirror for Diawara to build an aesthetic and reflexive story, through song and dance, about the current and yet timeless drama of migration between North and South, and refugee crises. The film ponders on the realities of cultural encounters through the concepts of métissage and hybridity.

The success and limits of fusing African and European perspectives are tested by interlacing performances from the ‘Bintou Were’ opera, past and present archival footages of migrations, classic European arias and interviews with European and African intellectuals, artists and social activists including Alexander Kluge, Fatou Diome, Nicole Lapierre and Richard Sennett.

The film’s world premiere will take place during the inauguration week of documenta 14, on 11 April, with the director, Nicole Lapierre, and Richard Sennett at the Greek Film Archive (Tainiothiki) in Athens.

"Sahel Opera Film premieres at documenta 14"

The Sahel Opera

The Dutch Postcode Lottery generously contributed €1,500,000 directly to the Sahel Opera project. 'Bintou Were, a Sahel Opera' was initiated by the Prince Claus Fund and performed throughout Africa and Europe in 2007.

Sahel Opera Film premieres at documenta 14

‘Bintou Were, a Sahel Opera’ is now on film and will premiere at documenta 14 in April 2017. The film ‘An Opera of the World’ is based on the African opera ʻBintou Were’, which narrates an eternal migration drama. The original opera had been a dream of HRH Prince Claus, which was realised by the Prince Claus Fund in 2007. The film is directed by Manthia Diawara...

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Sahel Opera Film premieres at documenta 14

‘Bintou Were, a Sahel Opera’ is now on film and will premiere at documenta 14 in April 2017. The film ‘An Opera of the World’ is based on the African opera ʻBintou Were’, which narrates an eternal migration drama. The original opera had been a dream of HRH Prince Claus, which was realised by the Prince Claus Fund in 2007. The film is directed by Manthia Diawara...